Landlords in Dinkytown by Ben Corey and Danielle LeBreck, TC Daily Planet • The hunt for housing at the University of Minnesota is happening now for many students. Many get their place for next year taken care of early, but several are still looking for a place to live. In this time of urgency, students may act quickly, paying little attention to what they are signing or who they are signing with. This video by Ben Corey and Danielle LeBreck highlights issues students have had with landlords and how they can be smart when looking for a house in the neighborhoods surrounding the U.
All in the family: Legislation would allow familial DNA searches by law enforcement by Mike Cook, Session Weekly • Familial DNA is the use of family members’ DNA to identify a closely related suspect in jurisdictions where large DNA databases exist, but no exact match has been found. The process involves using the DNA found at the scene of the crime to determine if part of the profile matches existing DNA in the criminal database, presumably from a blood relative of the yet unknown suspect. This would allow authorities to focus on a potential suspect, and possibly get the first break in a case that has otherwise provided no leads.
Plymouth Bridge update by Kerry Ashmore, North News • Does anyone have an extra seven to 10 million dollars?
That’s what it’s likely to cost to repair the Plymouth Avenue Bridge. And according to Minneapolis City Engineer and Public Works Director Steven Kotke, the funding outlook is less than rosy. The city is “dual tracking” on the bridge repair, Kotke said. City officials are working with Corven Engineering, a Florida-based consulting firm, to prepare bridge- repair specifications that can go out for bids. At the same time, “we’re looking under every rock for funding,” he said.
Dai Vinh receives Bronze Star after 40 years by Tom LaVenture, Asian American Press • U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) at his Drake Bank Building office in St. Paul Friday, presented a Bronze Star to Dai Vinh, a Richfield Vietnamese refugee of 25 years, who fought as a Captain in the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces.
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PLUMB TUCKERED OUT | In fact, I barely got THIS written by Melanie Danke • Yesterday a good friend of ours came over to the shop for a little coffee, nosh and advice. (Yes, we are a full service cookie shop.)
BARATARIA | Armageddon? Been there, done that. by Erik Hare • What would happen if the world ended right on schedule? Suppose the Rapture came on May 21st
or the end of the Mayan Calendar on December 21st really is the end – do you think someone would notice?
CRAZY BOY FARM | Natural health on the Eastside by Amy Doeun • This weekend I attended an amazing workshop not even 3 miles from my house. Dr. Mary Ann McNeilus and Judy Aitkens, RN were sharing their vast experience with natural health. Both had worked extensively in what I guess you would call “regular” medicine and what Dr. Mary Ann referred to as “drug based” medicine. The 2 had met in Cambodia while working in a refugee camp. Over the years they learned the incredible value of natural remedies and its accessibility to people of all age brackets, income, education and anywhere in the world.
EYETEETH | Chinese artist Guo Gai also detained by Beijing police by Paul Schmelzer • Ai Weiwei isn’t the only artist who’s been detained by Chinese authorities: The Soap Factory notes on Facebook that artist Guo Gai has been in police custody since being detained in Beijing on Mar. 24. Guo, who is scheduled to have a work in a show at the Minneapolis art space this August, also had his computer confiscated, like Ai, according to a tweet by the Soap. (More details to come.)
MN PROGRESSIVE PROJECT | Undercover video and the right wing agenda by Dan Burns • A couple of days ago, I blogged about a Minnesota legislator’s proposal to criminalize the documentation of animal cruelty. It got me thinking about the ways in which surreptitiously obtained video is used, for political purposes, and my mind kind of went from there, for better or worse.
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